CSUMB men's basketball

CSU-Monterey Bay (13-15, 9-13)
 When you're dealing with the smallest scholarship budget in the conference, patience in building a program is part of the criteria.
 Say what you want, but the Otters have made progress in each of the last four seasons, going from three wins in 2012 to 10 last winter.
 It's been a gradual climb for head coach Rob Bishop, who is entering his eighth season at CSUMB. Yet, you can hear the enthusiasm in his voice that he feels he's close.
 A win over Division I Utah State this year suggests the program is headed in the right direction. It was a confidence builder. Plus the exposure certainly didn't hurt.
 While Bishop has one eye on the future with the development of a cast of new faces brought in this year, the holdovers believe the future is now.
 Evan Zeller has been sizzling from the outside in the teams first eight games this year, averaging just under 17 points a game.
 Ryan Nitz has been a nice compliment on the wing for CSUMB while the return of Alex Fertig has given them another outside shooter, along with Mateo Jones coming off the bench.
 One of  the Otters struggles in the past has been a presence in the paint. Bishop believes he's got an answer in 6-foot-11 freshman Gregg Polosky.
 You have to account for Polosky as well as senior Marquise Washington, who is more of a power forward at 6-6.
 While two key shooters will be redshirted this year because of injuries, the continued development of former Seaside High guard Jonquis Bouyea gives the Otters some depth.
 The Otters didn't play any creampuffs in non-conference, facing three Division I teams and a top 20 Division II program in their first seven games -- all roadies.
 While the results were not always what Bishop had hoped for, the belief is it has prepared them for conference play -- which is what is important.